Stories

Tue, 21 Apr 2026

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 Water charges and rates increase could help Stormont 'raise £3bn a year'

Stormont would have £3bn a year extra if they cut jobs, increased rates and introduced water charges.

* A Treasury review suggests that Stormont ministers could have an extra £3bn a year to spend on public services if they: + Increased domestic rates by 50% (typical bill would rise from £1,200 to £1,800) + Introduced water charges of around £465 per household + Cut back the civil service to match the size of England's equivalent service (saving almost £400m a year) + Ended pay parity for public sector workers (potentially saving up to £2.5bn a year)
* The review was conducted after Stormont overspent by £400m last year and aims to identify ways to balance the budget
* Pay parity is the principle that public sector workers in Northern Ireland should get broadly equivalent pay to those in other parts of the UK